A Loving Heart
by mariah.artist
Summary: “Kiba...” Kankuro breathed, he walked towards Kiba wanting to get a closer look at Kiba's expressions. They were lost and sad. He leaned in closer to where he was inches in front of Kiba, “What happened..?” he whispered.
1. Chapter 1

**Wounds**

As Kiba left his home to head over to Tsunade's office, he was followed by Sakura, Tenten, and Shikamaru. They were heading towards the office as well and were quite excited. That by the time they reached the office, Tsunade announced they would be escorting a young Lord through the Earth Country. "The reason I call you out for this mission, is because they asked for you four pacifically." She handed them both information on the borders of the fire country and river country containing dangerous zones to avoid running into. "The man your escorting is known to raise taxes in his city, that the people have been rioting against him. So you four are more or less his bodyguards till he arrives home safely. Is that understood? You will be leaving tomorrow morning."

The four nodded and left the office silently. "Sounds like it's going to be a long mission, I should get some time with Neji before he takes on his mission tonight." Tenten waved at them and left their side when she reached outside the hokage mansion. "I wish I could say the same with Gaara, but he's all the way in Suna." Sakura complained. She left in a run towards her flat. Shikamaru looked over at Kiba waiting for another excuse for someone to leave. "Don't you have someone special?" he asked. Kiba looked up at him with Akamaru walking by his side. "Yea, but he's suppose to arrive sometime this afternoon.." Kiba said. "Wait...so is Temari..who are you waiting for?" Shikamaru questioned. He started to feel really uneasy about the idea. "My boyfriend, Kankuro...I thought you knew." Kiba's pace slowed down next to Akamaru. The dog gave a soft bark, and Kiba answered, "I'm alright.." He was feeling depressed now.

Everyone in the village had judged him for loving Kankuro. There were nights he had to run home for safety because a few chunin and jonin were homophobic and outraged they had a gay chunin in their midst. One night he was captured by three jonin and a chunin who would tie him up and began punching at his stomach and thighs threatening to cut off his penis. They invoked words such as, "Oh do you need your finger's painted red?" And began making fun of him on the idea of what some gay people act like. By the time they were done, they had burned cigarette marks on his inner thighs and hips as well as cut into his skin with kunai knives. They threatened the next time they see him acting gay they would dismember him. He would wake up in an alleyway and the only one who would find him is Akamaru the next morning.

This was why Kankuro was coming to Konoha. Is because of the issue of people reacting so coldly to gay couples and gay individuals that it was going to be addressed to the hokage first hand. "Please don't tell anyone," Kiba whispered. Tears were forming in his eyes because he was so afraid of what would happen to him. Shikamaru stopped and looked back at him with sympathy. "Hey, don't worry. I won't say anything to anyone. I promise. Just don't, you know...talk to me about anything sexual and we have a deal." Shikamaru joked. Kiba nodded and couldn't bring himself to laugh.

Akamaru nudged Kiba's leg that was bandaged on the inside. It stung a little but Akamaru was trying his best to encourage the boy. To give him bravery in a time of fear. Shikamaru sensed this and walked over to Kiba. He found it in his heart to give his comrade a friendly hug. It showed he wasn't judging him. "Hey, cheer up. Kankuro should be here in like an hour or so, okay. You should be happy for that." he smiled. And walked next to Kiba towards the entrance gate of Konoha.

--

Kankuro arrived around two O' clock in the afternoon. He was a little sweaty, but wasn't exhausted. He had been carrying three large scrolls on his back and had been walking next to a bickering Temari. She had been complaining half way through the trip about the lack of roasted chestnuts and milk chocolate candy bars called, 'Emergency chocolate.' She claimed it was made by the chocolate gods of the world, (the actual candy bar is made in New Zealand) whom happen to be in the Water Country. "Why don't they have any here? This generic chocolate from the foreign place called the "Swiss" has crappy chocolate! It all tastes like they put wine in it or just tacky sweetener's. I want the Water Country's chocolate! ERGH! Oh...Hi guys!" Shikamaru walked up to her in a casual way to not show too much emotion at her arrival. "Hey there. You look like you need some food and chocolate. Well come over to my place, I got a surprise for you there!" he smiled. Temari blushed and walked along side him past Kankuro and Kiba.

Kankuro grinned at the site of Kiba, but took it back at the site that Kiba didn't show as much excitement. He had looked at Kankuro and nodded to acknowledge he was there. "Hey, what's up." He muttered. "Kiba..." Kankuro breathed, he walked towards Kiba wanting to get a closer look at Kiba's expressions. They were lost and sad. He leaned in closer to where he was inches in front of Kiba, "What happened..?" he whispered. Kiba's eye's turned watery and he looked away from Kankuro, "Let's just get to my house before anyone sees us." he muttered. He was looking around in the trees and sniffing the air double checking everything as they began to walk towards his home. Akamaru did the same and walked as close as he could next to Kiba. Ready for any danger coming to Kiba. Kankuro didn't understand why they were leaving in a stealth sense of action to Kiba's house. "I'll tell you everything as soon as we get there." Kiba murmured in an explaination.

They arrived at his house that was off to the side of Konoha and close to the forest. Kiba entered through the back yard with Akamaru and Kankuro. Akamaru knew the area was safe and proceeded into the house. Kankuro grabbed Kiba's arm and turned him around to face him. "Tell me what happened. Why won't you even look at me straight?" Kankuro demanded. Kiba looked everywhere but into Kankuro's eyes. "Dammit Kiba, what the fuck happened?" Kankuro questioned. He grabbed Kiba's chin and jerked it to have his eyes face him. Kiba flinched and felt himself panic. "Stop please.." Kiba winced. He was shaking. Kankuro released his chin but pulled his body closer to him. "I'm not trying to hurt you. Please tell me what happened. Why are you afraid of me?" Kankuro placed his hands around Kiba's waist and pulled him closer into an embrace. Kiba flinched and groaned, "I'll show you inside." He pulled away throbbing in pain. To not be offensive to Kankuro's feelings, he grabbed his hand and lead him inside. Kankuro was eager to get inside and figure out why Kiba was flinching everywhere.

When they reached inside the house, Kiba sat Kankuro onto the soft brown couch in the living room and began undressing. "Wait, Kiba what are you doing?" Kankuro held his hands up to indicate it wasn't the time for sexual advances. He was worried for Kiba. But Kiba wasn't intending anything sexual, because under his black long sleeved shirt were bandages covering his waist. Then he pulled down his pants without hitching his underwear down and showed Kankuro his wounds.

Kankuro gently told him to stand closer as he uncovered a few of the bandages on his inner thighs and hips. He began sobbing from all the stress, "Who..Kiba..." Kankuro stood up and held Kiba's sobbing face into his hands. "You don't understand how hard it is for...me. I'm scared to go outside for too long Kankuro..." Kiba sobbed into Kankuro's chess. His body was in so much pain that his heart was torn and tortured. "It's going to be ok." Kankuro cooed. He held Kiba softly against his chest, when silently he was crying as well.

"I want their names," Kankuro demanded. Kiba looked up at him from his chest and said, "Hana has them written down in the study." he whispered. Kankuro let him go and headed towards the study. Kiba sat down on the couch with just his boxer's on and closed his eyes to ignore the pain. He checked his bandages, to see the cigarette burns and stitches on his inner thighs. Kankuro came running back towards Kiba and leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "I'll be right back." he breathed into Kiba's skin.

Author's note: This is a bit of a free-style story, but everything in here you should be able to find in the Naruto series. Like names, and places. I hope you like! This will turn out to be awesome! :D And I support gay couples the dilhema of not being able to be free minded in front of everyone. I mean, I'm writing this story for the people hiding in the closet because of that fear of ever opening up. I hope my readers like this. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**When all the boys can't be men**

Light footsteps touched the dirt street swiftly maneuvering into a fast run. The jonin ninja looked back behind him in question. He could have sworn he heard something, but continued walking down the street. Kankuro stood around the corner of the building watching the jonin from behind. He double checked the list describing the features of the accused jonin. There were no names, but Kankuro had a foul mouth of names to call every one of them.

"Hey chicken-fuck," Kankuro snarled. He stood out in the open with his arms stretched out into a defensive position. His knees bent a little to stretch out his calves and feet to charge the jonin if the need arise. Fortunately it did. The jonin that turned around to glare at him, wore a bandanna over his hair and let his bangs cover his left eye. He sneered at Kankuro and whipped his hands out to reveal kunai knives covered in dry blood. "The painted man from Suna! I guess I should take you on with the knives I used to hurt your bitch!" he snickered.

Kankuro sneered back, he loosened his fingers to stretch them out like a claw. Seconds later Karasu the Crow puppet jumped from his scroll and charged at the jonin. Kankuro was also aware of another jonin coming up from behind him in a fast pace. He spun Karasu around to make a jab at the jonin from behind as well as send a knuai knife straight at the jonin in front of him. He was fighting two people at once and winning. Moments later there was one jonin down on the ground with no stamina to get back up. The other was being butchered alive in the new puppet, Kuroari.

"What have you done?" Hana had come just in time to see Kankuro's actions. Kankuro glared back and growled, "What do you think? These filth deserve to be beaten for what they did to my Kiba.."

"You idiot. I was setting an example for Kiba. To have the laws of this village to protect him and to receive respect to gay individuals everywhere. What you're doing is destroying everything. You might as well call yourself one of them." She shouted. Her eyes were filled to the brim with watery worries. "While you wait for laws to pass by your hokage, I could have saved Kiba from this! I could have taken him back to Suna with me...to protect him from the likes of them! In Suna...he would have been safe." Kankuro's temper was rising at the thoughts of Kiba's wounds.

She shook her head and told Kankuro to go back to Kiba. She would take care of the jonin and report to Tsunade about the incident and what lead to it. Because maybe it would help the homosexuality issue in Konoha. "Did you find the chunin?" she questioned holding both jonin under her arms. "No, heard he wasn't from Konoha. Someone from the hidden mist village." Kankuro stated. He left her side at a run towards Kiba's house. All Hana did was watch him leave and carry the jonin's bodies towards an alleyway. Kakashi arrived behind her and questioned, "What will you be doing to them?" Hana turned around and snarled, "I'll give them what they deserve, but I won't kill them. I will make them fear homosexuality!" Kakashi watched her set the two jonin up against a brick wall and take out a kunai knife. He didn't say a word, he looked around the building they were hiding behind then up at the rooftops to see if anyone was watching. He stood on the outside of the alleyway guarding against anyone coming nearby. "Then make them fear," he whispered over his shoulder.

Hana nodded, and clutched the kunai knife in her fist. She had unbuckled both the jonin's pants and unwrapped their private parts from their briefs. A sound coming from the alleyway was vivid to Kakashi's ears. He took a glance back to see what she was doing and saw with horror she had been cutting off their balls. "What the fuck are you doing?" he shivered in horror. "I'm taking away their manhood." she growled.

--

Kankuro arrived at Kiba's house in minutes. He knocked on the door to hear fifteen dogs bark up a storm. Kiba had shuffled past them and opened the door wide to see Kankuro rush in and hold him in an embrace. "You're safe now," he whispered into his ear. Kiba looked up at him from Kankuro's chest and breathed, "They're gone...? What do we do now?" "You relax and be yourself now. Hana is taking care of the rest of this mess. You'll be safe." Kankuro reassured. He moved Kiba inside from the doorway and cupped Kiba's face with his hands. Leaning in, his eyes automatically closed and softly kissed Kiba's lips. This sensation it caused on Kiba took an extreme effect. His knees weakened as his body fluttered into a symphony of butterflies. The wounds didn't burn and the stitches on his thighs didn't sting. He felt alive from the kissing upon his lips. Kankuro's tongue entered into his mouth from the opening his lips gave eagerly. It was smooth and intoxicating. The more Kankuro lingered underneath Kiba's tongue it began to swirl around his mouth to make a moan escape Kiba's lips.

"You're safe," Kankuro breathed into his lips. Kiba smiled for the first time in months. "Thank you.." he whispered.

--

By the next morning, Kiba awoke from the sound of Kankuro sliding his fingers over his shoulder. "Good morning," he whispered. Kiba lifted his head from his pillow and smiled again. Akamaru sat up from the end of the bed, and barked three times. Kiba sat up quickly and told Kankuro to get dressed quickly. "Akamaru said Hana is coming up the stairs with Kakashi."

Kankuro bolted out of the bed looking everywhere for his briefs. "Where did you put my underwear, Kiba?" Kankuro joked. Kiba had already had pants and looked back at him in a panic, "Just put on pants instead." he growled back. He was flustered because he could smell Hana's perfume. And she never whore perfume. This meant she was showing off to Kakashi again.

Finally Kankuro found some pants and watched Kiba open the door. "Hana, what's up." Kiba muttered. "Did you forget your mission already? You need to head out with your group, NOW!" she ordered. Kiba snarled in frustration and began scanning his room for his proper clothes meant for battle. Kankuro stood there smirking as Kiba tunneled under the bed and blankets searching for weapons and clothes. Five minutes later, Kiba found everything he needed and kissed Kankuro goodbye before leaving. "I should be back in a few days, don't worry."

He stormed out of the room with Akamaru by his side and passed Kakashi with a wave. He was out the door and running towards the entrance of the village to meet up with his temporary group. Akamaru kept pace with him happy as ever. His master was ignoring his wounds and running from the strength of sheer joy and excitement. This feeling from his master had been absent for some time.

Shikamaru heard the footsteps from behind and saw Kiba running towards them, "Hey I knew you'd be happier!" He joked. Tenten smiled and waved Kiba over. "Good to see you smiling again!" she chimed. Sakura had been speaking with the young Lord. He went by the name Yamamoto. His eye's were a beautiful green. There were red marking upon his face. Two dots in the center of his forehead and red paint under both of his eyes. His hair was a silvery white angled exactly as a criss cross in the parting of each strand. He wore different clothes then the others. A dark blue hakama tied at the waist over his white kimono wrapped around his chest. He appeared as a lord and completely unfamiliar to any of them. Kiba arrived with a grin and walked with them out of Konoha.

Shikamaru didn't even recognize the man. But something felt strange at the edge of his mind. As if he'd seen this man before somewhere, but couldn't remember. "Well, let's get this over with so I can come home to my new fiancee !" he grumbled. Tenten looked over at him in shock, "You're engaged now? When was this?" she questioned. Shikamaru grinned back, "Since last night!"

Author's Note:

_Records of homosexuality in Japan date back to ancient times; indeed, at some times in Japanese history love between men was viewed as the purest form of love._

_While homosexuality had never been viewed as a sin Japanese society and religion, was restricted by legal prohibition in 1873, but the provision was repealed only seven years later by the Penal Code of 1880. Exposure to Western religious thought and the desire to appear "civilized" have influenced the way that homosexuality is viewed by both the Japanese government and by the population at large since the end of the nineteenth century. (wikipedia)_

So you see, it ain't wrong! -- stupid western religions, you know which ones. If I post them on here then people won't read this.


	3. Chapter 3

**By the woods**

It had been four days, the young Lord had hardly spoken to anyone and was directing them towards the Rock country. "You know you look a little young for a Lord." said Shikamaru. They had been walking a few hours now non-stop. "Yes well my father died and past down the title of "lord" to me just recently." Yamamoto stated. "But what are you raising taxes for? I mean, are you paying for something?" Sakura questioned. He looked back at her and stated, "The taxes in my town are paid on income, property and consumption on the national, prefectural and municipal levels. We raised taxes to pay for protection in our town. To update technology and the walls that surround us. It's called one of the hidden towns of the Rock Country. Your hokage mistook it as a city... But I'm not here to lecture you on taxes, otherwise that would lead to a whole day's worth of boredom." Yamamoto didn't say anything more of that matter.

By nightfall the group had set up camp. Shikamaru took Kiba to the side to tell him something near the edge of the woods surrounding them. "Look, this guy is suspicious. Not because of the taxes, but did you hear him say he's raising them to protect his town. Against what and whom I wonder. And remember what Tsunade said? She said the people of his town are rioting against him and we're to act as bodyguards. What I don't understand, is I don't see any threats coming to him. We are past the Fire Country borders and we're in the middle of the River Country. No hidden shinobi anywhere near us, and no traps to kill him. If there were rioters and angry people out to get him, wouldn't they send an assassin of some kind? What do you make of this, Kiba?"

Kiba was astonished by this sudden assumption. He stood there speechless for a few minutes then answered, "uh...we kill the assassin?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes and muttered, "Oh forget it, you dumb-ass." Kiba glared back and snarled, "Come again?"

Sakura noticed the tension and interfered between the two. "Hey you two, stop! I know you are tired and restless, let's camp here for the night alright?" Kiba clenched his fist and snarled. Shikamaru looked back at him furrowing his brows, "What's your problem?" he questioned. Kiba glared back with venom, "I'm tired of people pushing me around is what! Just because I'm in love with Kankuro everyone wants to pick a "punch line" with me, or beat me down like they're better than me, well FUCK YOU!" He barred his teeth and growled from the deeper part of his heart. Everything he went through from the past few months was crawling back to him with rage. Shikamaru flinched and stepped back in shock, "Hey back down, Kiba. You are misunderstanding what I said. I called you a dumb-ass for strategy and tactics reasoning, that had NOTHING to do with you being gay or your relationship with Kankuro. I TOLD YOU that I am still your friend no matter your choices of who you bring to bed with you--" Kiba shoved Sakura a few feet away them, and stomped towards Shikamaru snarling like a bear. "SO YOU THINK I'M A WHORE! That I FUCK with Kankuro every NIGHT?! YOU JACKASS!"

Shikamaru's eye's widened from Kiba's words. But before he could dive in for another remark, he caught a movement from the leaves of the trees above them. It was too late to say anything. They were ambushed!

--

Tenten opened her eyes, but only saw pitch black. She began to feel herself panic for not being able to see. "Tenten, calm down. Think clearly." Shikamaru reassured. Tenten breathed in and released all her tension by breathing out. They were tied up. The presence of her friends were leaning against her unconscious. She felt the cloth tied around her eyes, then the rope around her arms, and legs. There was some sort of sack covering her head and tied around her neck gently. From the scruffiness against her cheeks she could tell it was a burlap sack. She smiled, and started moving her fingers towards the braces on her wrists. She knew there were knives hidden inside the braces. But there was no luck. She felt all over her wrists and found nothing. "My weapons...they're gone." she whispered. Shikamaru whispered back, "I don't know, but I have a feeling they stripped us. Do you remember anything that happened after Kiba threw Sakura?"

Tenten breathed in slow to calm down, she had to ignore she was fully nude and thought over what she remembered. A few minutes later, she whispered to Shikamaru, "When the shinobi ambushed us, they took you and Kiba down first. Kiba fought back but was beaten to the ground. Each shinobi had a thick clothe in their hands they placed against your mouths. When they came for me, I thought they were after Yamamoto so I grabbed for him and ran. But we didn't get to far. Yamamoto had me stop for a second when we reached a meadow and he tricked me. I couldn't reach for any weapons at my disposal. He was too fast, he aimed his finger tips at me as bones punctured my pressure points from moving any further.."

"I knew it. I knew I had seen him before. His name is Kimimaro , and he fought up against Gaara and Lee when we were on our search party mission to find Sasuke. Lee told me of this man's attack style. He must have survived." Shikamaru thought aloud. "What happened next?"

"When the shinobi arrived by his side, he came towards me..he unbuckled my collar...Shikamaru I can't say more." She whimpered. "Tenten he didn't do anything to you sexually did he?" he questioned. "No, he..." Tenten's breathing became raspy as she said, "he threatened to kill Neji...and..."

"Hey you two shut your traps!" One of the male voices leaned down and smacked Shikamaru on the side of his head but ignored hitting Tenten. "Hey, man, tell me again why the master asked us to strip them naked?" questioned another male voice. The first voice answered, "Because they're ninjas', you moron. Ninja's always have hidden weapons in every garment. Stripping them of their clothes is to keep them from escaping for now. We'll give them new ones when we arrive in our home."

"Shikamaru...I'm scared." Tenten breathed. "Just lay low and be quiet. Think of Neji and your loved ones when you are scared. It keeps your fears at bay." he whispered.

Author's note: I took my sweet-ass time with this. Sorry, I had a brain-fart for like a week. :( I've been watching movies all week to get an idea of what I should write next. Finally I came up with this and more! WOOO! Please PLEASE Review!


	4. Chapter 4

Love of the Samurai

"Sakura..." Gaara whispered. He had been lying on the bed next to her as the morning dawn slowly began to creep across the desert dunes and the entrance of Suna. The sunlight hadn't reached their bedroom window as Gaara brushed Sakura's cheeks gently with his stray fingers. "Sakura..wake up..." Sakura smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer to his chest to go back to her comfortable sleep. "Nope." she giggled into his chest. She felt his beating heart, and the strength of his lungs breathing against her right cheek. "Sakura..." he breathed. She could smell the chukra sand circle around her blankets and shoulders. "My love...wake up."

She opened her eyes to pitch black. Everything was coming back to her. Three other bodies were breathing against her own and felt soft. As if there weren't any clothing. She tried to move her hands but something was binding them. Then the panic grew through her lungs and ribs. "Gaara...GAARA!" she shrieked. She struggled with the rope tied around her wrists and ankles. Her body shook and she still couldn't see anything. She felt the roughness of a bag around her head. It didn't resemble anything like Gaara's chest. "GAARA!" she screamed. She couldn't think straight or realize what was going on. _Where is Gaara?_

"Hey one of the girl's is freaking out! I gotta drive this cart! Go hurry and get her to shut up." a male voice snarled. She could hear the sound of a man crawl over something then grabbed the sack that covered her face and untied the cloth covering her eyes. He crouched in front of her and looked into her eyes. "Would you keep your mouth shut." His raven black hair swooped back over his shoulder and stuck up in the back. His bangs flowed past his left cheek and close to covering his eye. His eyes glowed a sharingan red. It was a whisper of the truth to her eyes. "You.." she breathed. He held one finger across his lips. It was a sign of "shhh." "Sasuke?" she mouthed. He shook his head no. He had a small smile crawl past his lips. "Uchiha Madara...now keep quiet." he breathed. She nodded as he tied the cloth around her eyes and placed the sack back around her head. Then crawled back towards the other male's voice. "There she's quiet." he muttered.

--

Kiba had awoken as well and sniffed the air around him. The winds were swirling as he caught a few scents. Two males sat on the bench above their heads in the oak wooden cart. One horse was pulling the cart towards a very strong mixed scent. He felt it was wheeling towards a town covered by trees. He sniffed again. There were mountains still frosted by the winter snow. Even wild animals were living in the forest around them. But what sort of forest were they in? Something felt strange, the trees changed from bamboo to thicker and larger trees...but what were they? He sniffed the surroundings again. Tenten and Sakura were completely naked. Shikamaru had a cloth wrapped around his waist as well as himself. He knew full well everyone was covered by a burlap sack and tied by rope around their wrists and ankles. There weren't any weapons and for some reason he couldn't smell Akamaru anywhere nearby. "Akamaru.."he whispered. He kept sniffing and couldn't catch any trace of his beloved dog. "You're dog is tied up and being beaten. They're taking him to Konoha so your friends will stop trying to track us down. And you're dog will look like he defended you all in some epic battle. His blood is covered all over the forest to make your friends think you're dead." said the mysterious male voice. Madara looked over his shoulder down at them and saw Kiba's body was shaking.

"One of the boy's is crying." he muttered. Kiba clenched his teeth in anger. He had to restrain himself. Akamaru was hurt. And he kept thinking of Kankuro coming to save them. His friends would be right behind him and tracking their whereabouts...he was praying and hoping this would be true...

--

The cart suddenly stopped for what seemed like hours of wheeling around in zig zags. The two men carried the girls gently in a hurry towards a small hutt hidden in the bamboo trees. An old women stepped out and lead the men towards a room to place the girls in. She untied their bindings, as the men left and hurried to grab the boys from the cart. When they came back to the old women they threw the boys to the ground. "We have to leave. You know the rest, granny." Said the mysterious man. Madara looked at the two girls being forced into kimonos' by the old woman's granddaughters. Granny nodded her head and helped the bindings off the boys as she watched both men leave her hutt.

Shikamaru stood up immediately. He looked around his surroundings ready to attack but the old woman stood still and stared at him. They were in a bamboo made hutt, and the wood floors weren't the greatest comfort to his feet as he took a defensive stance. "You're a ninja as well. Your chukra doesn't work here. No one can leave this place but Madara. So young man, you can quit your stance and find you and your friends a place to survive in this town."

"What do you mean our chukra doesn't work?" Shikamaru questioned. He turned to face her as Kiba found some clothing. "This town was created to defend against intruders. More than most of those intruders are the likes of you shinobi. Madara founded this town when he retreated from Konoha less than a century ago. No one knows how he has lived for so long, but he resides here to hide from your kind. Now you and your friends are stuck here for life." she lectured.

The old woman left his side and helped to dress the girls. Kiba stood up and handed Shikamaru a dark green kimono. He himself was arranging his kimono in it's final touches. He had been wearing a red kimono. "What do we do now?" he asked Shikamaru. "The old lady may only have a little amount of knowledge on this town. We gather information as much as possible. Let's just hope she doesn't know a whole lot." Shikamaru pulled on his kimono and walked over to where the girls were standing.

"Sakura, why were you screaming for Gaara?" Tenten questioned. She had just gotten her obi tied around her waist by one of the grand daughter's. Sakura looked up at Tenten and blushed. "I was dreaming about him...it felt so real." she whispered. Sakura was wearing a full kimono now. The granny opened a small box containing white paint. "If you are trying to blend in, then I will aide you." She sat the girls down and told them to not speak while applying the white paint across their skin. "You're turning them into geisha?" Kiba was appalled. "Yes, this village is filled with legendary samurai and geisha. It is the best way for you and your friends to make themselves accepted or else starve." she explained as she lifted the brush from the white box.

This made him smile a little when he looked at Shikamaru, "So are we going to be samurai then?" he joked. Shikamaru just glared at him and muttered, "You'd never be a samurai Kiba. You don't have the patience. If anything you'd be a...shudō ." after saying that last word he stepped back a few feet expecting a blow to his face. Kiba stood still in a very confused manner. "What? What's a shudō? Are they street fighters?" Kiba grinned. Sakura turned bright red while Tenten pinched her to not say anything.

From hearing Kiba's words, Shikamaru stepped away even further and whispered, "it's like a sex slave to samurai dumb-ass" In reaction Kiba clenched his fists and began to growl heavily. "What!? Look I'm not going to be your sex slave. I don't even want to be a shudō you jackass!" he snarled. Shikamaru held his hands up in the air protecting himself, "Wait calm down! I don't want you as my sex slave! I'd throw myself to Temari's wind jutsu's before that would ever happen!" Granny glared at the both of them and barked, "The tradition of shudō is not a sex slave, you disrespectful brat! It is like a geisha tradition for young men. It is to be a lover for a warrior's heart. It remains one of the fundamental aspects of samurai life! It has the emotional and sensual bond that cultivates between an older warrior and a younger apprentice. It is 'the love of the samurai' and our greatest moral aspect in life. So you will do kindly to respect the shudō!"

Kiba stood still. He didn't make a move to harm Shikamaru, but felt overwhelmed and scared. He belonged to Kankuro. And only Kankuro. This would be the hardest thing to do for him. The old lady walked slowly towards Kiba and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It will do you and your family a great honor young one. You must remove yourself from all loved ones in your homeland...I will help you find a samurai who will not take advantage of you young one." she reassured.

Author's Note:

Reference to Shudō

The samurai often called it _bi-do,_ "the beautiful way", and guarded the tradition jealously. Ijiri Chusuke, in 1482 argued:

"In our empire of Japan this way flourished from the time of the great master Kobo. In the abbeys of Kyoto and Kamakura, and in the world of the nobles and the warriors, lovers would swear perfect and eternal love relying on no more than their mutual good will. Whether their partners were noble or common, rich or poor, was absolutely of no importance… In all these case they were greatly moved by the spirit of this way. This way must be truly respected, and it must never be permitted to disappear.

The Japanese as well as the Greeks equated the love between a man and a beardless youth with all that was best in human nature, seeing it at times as the path to such ideals, and at other times as the goal itself. Simonides, in a famous drinking song from the fifth century BCE declares:

"Hear the four best things a man can ask of life:  
Health unmarred lifelong, beauty of form and act,  
Honest gain of wealth, and while one is still a boy,  
To come to brightest bloom among heroic lovers."

Please Review, I hope you like this! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Running After the Rain**

Kankuro had loaded his last scroll onto his back as he headed out the front of Kiba's house. Hana had been running towards him with a paper in her hand with a worried look on her face. "Hey Hana, what's up?" he asked. Hana reached his side and shoved the paper in his hands as she hurried inside the house. Kankuro looked down at the paper and read the first paragraph before he started shaking.

_ The group that was sent out three days ago containing, Sakura, Kiba,Shikamaru and Tenten are missing in action or either dead. We received word from a local village in the River Country that a large amount of blood was covered all over the forest ground and tree trunks. Strands of hair was mixed in with the blood and a large white dog is being carried back to Konoha as we speak. We took samples of the blood and are coming to a conclusion by this afternoon. Please inform their loved ones of the terrible news..._

Kankuro bolted into a run towards the flat Temari was staying in. He shouted her name before he reached her front door. "TEMARI OPEN THE DOOR! TEMARI!" he shouted. His fists were shaking as they pounded against her door. His mind was racing over the memories he shared with Kiba. His beloved Kiba holding his hands and kissing his lips. The sensation of Kiba's skin across his fingertips. The times they saved each other on missions that almost cost Kiba's life as well as his own. The morning's of waking up to a sleeping Kiba and his dog Akamaru. These thoughts were making him loose his balance. He fell to his knees at her front door, not being able to move as the tears drew past his painted cheeks.

She finally opened the door and looked down at Kankuro. "What's going on? What happened." He handed her the paper he received from Hana and watched Temari begin to read it. He was shaking from the idea of Kiba sprawled on the ground somewhere murdered and decaying. "No.." she whimpered. She hurried back into the house and grabbed her large fan. When she came back to Kankuro she grabbed him by his arm and dragged his shaking body into a charge towards the entrance. Shino and Hinata had arrived before them and stopped them before they left the gate of the village. "Kiba is our dear friend too. We will aide you!" Shino instructed. Temari was impatient and nodded her head in a rush, "Alright then, come on!"

Unfortunately the party was stopped again by Neji. "I came early from my mission and heard the news. I'm going with you!" he valiantly declared. By the time the group left at a charging race to where there had been word of the location of the pool of blood in the River Country, it had begun to rain. Kankuro ran faster and harder than the others, it was as if he was running after the rain itself. "Kankuro slow down..." Temari ordered. But it was dismissed and the running increased for two days straight.

Shino maintained his stamina but the poor Hinata fell to the ground in exhaustion when they made camp half way through the Fire Country. Kankuro paced by the fire as Temari looked down at her hand and began swirling a ring around her wedding finger. Neji scanned the area over and over and couldn't stop thinking about a strategy if there were any survivors. He clutched his fist's and clenched his eyes shut. He was struggling to hold back his emotions. Just thinking about Tenten's condition was heart wrenching.

--

It had taken two days max for news of Sakura's disappearance to reach Gaara's hands. He was handed the scroll from Baki himself. When he opened it, Baki remained in a bowing position listening to his Kazekage unfurl the scroll into a reading page. Gaara read the letter three times before he set it down and began to fill up with numbness. His fingers shook as his chukra sand swirled around his ankles, he wanted desperately to do something.

Then he remembered a moment he had with Sakura a few months ago. She was healing a turtle inside one of Suna's medical labs. He watched her warm the turtle's legs and shell and began to heal it's injuries. As she did this, she looked up at him and smiled from the counter. Then said, "You know this turtle sort of reminds me of you. It hides in it's shell when it's scared or hurt. And like you, I believe you hide in your shell when you're alone and sad... But when we first met before the Chunin exams, you asked me to show you what love was. You peeked out of your shell to come and talk to me. You were a walking happy turtle who saw the world completely different afterwards. So promise me, when you end up curling back into your shell again, promise me you'll peek out and find happiness again. Ok. " Gaara had sat up from the stool across the counter she had the turtle displayed on. "What do you mean by that? I'm happy now that we're together, Sakura..." he muttered.

His voice was a slow even pace that it nearly entranced her every time he spoke. "Um...ehem, well I have to return to Konoha soon, Gaara. I can't stay and live here because we've been together for soo--" Gaara slammed his fist on the counter in protest and glared up at her, "I almost lost you to Deidara, SAKURA! It cost me my life when he came back here and nearly destroyed Suna. After four days of being in Suna you want to go back? Why? So you can meet another Deidara! And I can sit here and wait for another assault on my village! Stop playing games and grow up! We're engaged Sakura and I love you. But I am not here to be your toy in the love games you play!"

From his words she looked away from him clutching the counter to keep herself standing. It was a horrible night for the both of them and she left Suna the next day completely heartbroken. And now she was dead... He clenched his fists in anger and the chukra sand reacted violently. It attacked his desk and ripped it in half. Then went to the halves of the desk and shattered it into splinters. Baki raised his head up in shock. "Sir?"

Gaara looked up at him and glared murderously. His body vibrated with anger and pain. He could feel his muscles spasm and heart race faster and faster. The image of the office was leaving his sight and he kept seeing moments of Sakura smiling on the bed beside him. Holding her as he stroked his fingers through her soft pink hair. Then the image of her body lying somewhere in the forest basked in a puddle of blood with her wide empty greenish blue eyes staring into nothingness. "Sakura..." he choked. Baki slowly walked towards him with his hand reached out in caution. He was attempting to comfort Gaara. "They said she may or may not be dead sir." he cooed. Gaara's swarm of chukra built up inside of him calmed at a slow pace. His image of her dead changed. He now saw that she was facing him and smiling...waiting for him to save her.

Author's note: OO don't be mad at me for taking a day or two to write a short paragraph! Oo I sorry! I've been stressed out and trying to write a quality story. I've even been reading other books to help inspire me...Anita Blake isn't the best choice but it's helping me sort of...Please review oO..


	6. Chapter 6

**Morning Blues**

Sakura has awoken to the birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She had been sharing it with Tenten in their new apartment that Shikamaru had paid for. A knock came at the door that surprised her. "who is it?" she asked. She hurried to the door shuffling in her new clothes the embraced her legs and waist. It was a traditional geisha kimono she had been wearing for a week now. "It's me," said the voice behind the door. She opened it in question and saw between the crack Kiba staring at her in anger. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

She looked behind back at Tenten's sleeping form then decided to step outside of the room and speak to Kiba in the hallway. "What is it?" she whispered again. Kiba snarled under his breath, "I will not be some sex whore to the local samurai Sakura. I don't care if its for the money to make us survive in this dead end town, but this is demeaning! I had a samurai the other day try and rape me Sakura. This place is...hell...I couldn't do anything but run...all that training out the window! Sakura...I can't make it like this. I don't want to be a "bi-do" to the samurai. This isn't honorable to me. It's stripping me of my honor for my relationship with Kankuro...I..." His eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at the wooden floors and hugged himself. "It's going to be alright...I believe in Gaara. If he received word of us, I wouldn't doubt for a second he would come and rescue us Kiba..."

Kiba looked up at her glared, "I'm not counting on Gaara rescuing me, Sakura. I'm counting on Kankuro with my life right now. We have to do something...if they're pursuing us...I know Kankuro wouldn't believe it if we were dead...he'd come for us right?" Kiba began to doubt himself. Before he could say more, Shikamaru had opened the bathroom door from the hallway and looked over at them for a second pause. He was holding a spray can of bug repellent with an evil look in his eyes. "What's with you two?" he questioned. Sakura tried to avoid any questions coming to Kiba and changed the subject, "Why do you look so eager with the bug repellent, Shikamaru?" she joked. Hoping the question would lead away from Kiba's suffering. Shikamaru began to grin and muttered, "I'm infiltrating their base!"

That brought Kiba's attention. "What? I want in!" He hurried to stand next to Shikamaru and looked around as if the situation was top secret. "What's the plan?" Kiba whispered. He was ready for anything. Stealth mode or spy mode was in his thoughts. Shikamaru turned and stared at him in confusion..."Uh...ok." he looked over at Sakura and saw that in her eyes she was begging for anything to cheer up Kiba.

He took in the idea and glanced back at Kiba, "Uh...how about you cover me?" he muttered. He slowly opened the bathroom door and held out the spray can in front of him. He said over his shoulder, "Ready Kiba?" Kiba had no idea what was going on, but wanted to be apart of something he thought would get them out of this mess. "YES!" Kiba shouted. Shikamaru grinned and entered the bathroom to the most horrid skin crawling sight. He didn't flinch and began to spray all around him. Kiba was horrified and stood frozen in the doorway.

There were ants crawling all over the walls and windows and were beginning to climb up towards the ceiling. The ants were the size of thumb and crawling all over like mad. He whimpered and began to look around to find a plunger behind the toilet. He hurried and grabbed for it and started hitting the walls shouting madly, "DIE DIE DIE!" Sakura hurried to see the sight and screeched in horror, "WHERE DID THEY COME FROM!? THEY'RE HUGE! AGHAGH" She screamed out of the room and ran to get out of the house. Her body was shaking from disgust and horror.

The shouts of the boys awoke Tenten in her slumber. She dragged herself out of her bedroom with the comforter encircled around her body. She stepped into the hallway and came towards the sounds of Kiba shouting, "KILL IT!" and Shikamaru wailing, "THEY'RE CRAWLING UP MY LEGS!" Opening the door she mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes, "What's going on with you two?"

Kiba threw her across the hall and shouted, "GET OUT OF HERE!" Tenten glared up at him in confusion. "What the hell is wrong with you?" "THEY MADE A NEST IN THE BATHTUB! WE'RE TRYING TO--" Tenten interrupted him to slap him silly. "Quit shouting at me!"

"Sorry, it's just there are ants all over that bathroom! They're huge and we have no idea where they came from!" Kiba explained exasperated. He felt energized and excited. "We're going to kill them off!" he grinned. Tenten just stared at him. She couldn't think of anything to say to his words.

--

Kankuro breathed in and out slowly as he came to open his eyes from the most wonderful hopeless dream he's had in weeks. His heart fluttered thinking back to holding Kiba in his arms and stroking the smooth parts of his skin that felt so seductive and enticing. But waking up, his heart fell to see he was still in the middle of a forest with his search party and no Kiba anywhere near in sight.

"Where are you...Kiba?" he breathed.

Author's Note: I know I know, I took my sweet-ass time to the point I've forgotten everyone's names from Naruto! OO ACK! Well, I'll try and ad another chapter for this. I've gotten the bad case of writer's block for two whole months!! THIS SUCKS! So I've been seeking influence and reading books, comics, and naruto comic's like crazy. I think I've read like 12 books so far and 20 comics! ee


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